> If SCO sued IBM with actual patent infringement (instead of pure endless > bullshit about copyrighted, but nonexistent, code), that would have cripped > IBM, or at least IBM's Linux business. Microsoft could step in and do the > same, but with real patents, really crippling IBM.
And IBM could counterclaim with real patents, really, really crippling Microsoft.
BTW SCO v. IBM is about breach of contract. The SCO Group's claims do not allege that there is any code on which they own the copyright in Linux.
> After all, Microsoft does hold a lot of patents and while Linux is open source > and we can all take a look at the source code, only Microsoft has access to > most of its source code so it isn't all that difficult for it to prove - to > itself at any rate - that there are IP infringements contained in Linux.
You are confused. Whether or not a particular Microsoft patent is implemented in one of Microsoft's products is irrelevant to whether or not Linux infringes it. You want to compare Linux code to the published patent disclosures, not to Microsoft's code.
> Really. And what are they using to power this laser, then? Europe's power > gird? Otherwise I think I might have noticed the entire grid failing all at > once, especially since one would assume they've performed the experiment > multiple times....
You might want to take note of the fact that the length of said burst is a femtosecond.
> Plus I'd hate to see that poor bastards electrical bill....
> On the other side of the coin, back when there was an article about using > lasers to take out missiles while they were in the air, someone suggested > that they make them as shiny (in all spectrums) as possible to reflect rather > than absorb the military laser.
Doesn't work. The electric field intensity at the surface of the target is so high it exceeds the work function of the material and rips electrons right off the atoms. This creates a plasma layer that efficiently absorbs the radiation.
> Whether it's also black to radio waves needs to be investigated.
No it doesn't. It is obvious that it is not. The process makes the metal black by creating an intricate surface structure on the scale of the wavelengths of visible light. It would look like a shiny metal surface at the centimeter or so wavelengths used by radar. The effect probably peters out somewhere in the infrared.
> When browsers added password management features 5 (?) years ago, there weren't a lot of sites > that required passwords, included user-generated content, and allowed that user-generated content > to include password fields.
So the bug isn't really in Firefox at all. It's in the Web sites.
> Would be to build small, one room tech centers and use 5-10-20 machines per > location.
Just get them the damn computers. They can set up your centers themselves if it makes sense. The same guys who buy ten cellphones and rent them out will buy ten of these computers and set up Internet cafes (they'll start with one computer, of course, as the do with cellphones).
"Feed a family for a year" is a fish. A computer is a fishook.
These "journalists" also might want to consider the fact that not all the poor people in the world are teetering on the edge of starvation. Hundreds of millions have their basic needs satisfied and perhaps have electricity and/or running water but could do better if they had tools such as computers.
> She also said that the initial experiments were in Hokkaido, and that the > farmers up there are really impressed with it. They seem to think it gives > them extra hours to work.
Strange. In the US farmers have always opposed it.
The melting of the ice sheet floating in the Arctic Ocean will not change sea level. It will alter the climate of the land surrounding it. The melting of the Antarctic ice cap, the Greenland ice cap, and almost all of the glaciers in the world will increase sea level substantially.
Slashdot Mirror
> It's a true sign of unprecidented respect for a corporation when users obey
> the corporation's every request without as much as a wimper.
_Some_ users obey...
Should both discourage use of CAPTCHAs and put money in the hands of the poor. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
> If SCO sued IBM with actual patent infringement (instead of pure endless
> bullshit about copyrighted, but nonexistent, code), that would have cripped
> IBM, or at least IBM's Linux business. Microsoft could step in and do the
> same, but with real patents, really crippling IBM.
And IBM could counterclaim with real patents, really, really crippling Microsoft.
BTW SCO v. IBM is about breach of contract. The SCO Group's claims do not allege that there is any code on which they own the copyright in Linux.
> After all, Microsoft does hold a lot of patents and while Linux is open source
> and we can all take a look at the source code, only Microsoft has access to
> most of its source code so it isn't all that difficult for it to prove - to
> itself at any rate - that there are IP infringements contained in Linux.
You are confused. Whether or not a particular Microsoft patent is implemented in one of Microsoft's products is irrelevant to whether or not Linux infringes it. You want to compare Linux code to the published patent disclosures, not to Microsoft's code.
> Really. And what are they using to power this laser, then? Europe's power
> gird? Otherwise I think I might have noticed the entire grid failing all at
> once, especially since one would assume they've performed the experiment
> multiple times....
You might want to take note of the fact that the length of said burst is a femtosecond.
> Plus I'd hate to see that poor bastards electrical bill....
The average power level is quite modest.
> "wall outlet" ease of the use + "it would drill a hole through your skin" = ...Something an ordinary electric drill will do.
> Well, if you're watching a radar screen and see a pigeon flying at 500 miles
> an hour wouldn't you think something odd was going on?
Yes, but by the time you see it it's too late. The range at which your radar can detect an object is proportional to the size of its signature.
> Actually paint might adhere better to a fuzzy surface like this...
Good idea. Paint or adhesive preparation is a possible application.
> On the other side of the coin, back when there was an article about using
> lasers to take out missiles while they were in the air, someone suggested
> that they make them as shiny (in all spectrums) as possible to reflect rather
> than absorb the military laser.
Doesn't work. The electric field intensity at the surface of the target is so high it exceeds the work function of the material and rips electrons right off the atoms. This creates a plasma layer that efficiently absorbs the radiation.
> Whether it's also black to radio waves needs to be investigated.
No it doesn't. It is obvious that it is not. The process makes the metal black by creating an intricate surface structure on the scale of the wavelengths of visible light. It would look like a shiny metal surface at the centimeter or so wavelengths used by radar. The effect probably peters out somewhere in the infrared.
I find it encouraging, not frightening.
> When browsers added password management features 5 (?) years ago, there weren't a lot of sites
> that required passwords, included user-generated content, and allowed that user-generated content
> to include password fields.
So the bug isn't really in Firefox at all. It's in the Web sites.
Have you read the claims? If not you have no idea whether or not there is anything new in this patent.
> they won't find any use of it, they will trade it for food.
And if they do they will have food and the guy they traded it to will have a computer he can use (or he wouldn't have traded food for it).
> Would be to build small, one room tech centers and use 5-10-20 machines per
> location.
Just get them the damn computers. They can set up your centers themselves if it makes sense. The same guys who buy ten cellphones and rent them out will buy ten of these computers and set up Internet cafes (they'll start with one computer, of course, as the do with cellphones).
"Feed a family for a year" is a fish. A computer is a fishook.
These "journalists" also might want to consider the fact that not all the poor people in the world are teetering on the edge of starvation. Hundreds of millions have their basic needs satisfied and perhaps have electricity and/or running water but could do better if they had tools such as computers.
Settling these sorts of things is what declarative judgement suits are for.
> The best way of handling this sort of process is use of a microporous material
> like zeolites, ion exchange resins and so on.
So tell me where to buy inexpensive zeolites, ion exchange resins and so on suitable for removing arsenic.
According to Units 350 gal/min = 112000 hogsheads/fortnight.
> The question is what to do when you don't like any of the choices.
Write-in.
All elections should be write-in only. If you can't name at least one candidate why should you be voting at all?
> She also said that the initial experiments were in Hokkaido, and that the
> farmers up there are really impressed with it. They seem to think it gives
> them extra hours to work.
Strange. In the US farmers have always opposed it.
> ...but recognition that Click EULAs/other agreements are not binding is
> probably good.
I see no mention of "clicking" or "EULAs" in the article.
The melting of the ice sheet floating in the Arctic Ocean will not change sea level. It will alter the climate of the land surrounding it. The melting of the Antarctic ice cap, the Greenland ice cap, and almost all of the glaciers in the world will increase sea level substantially.
He did not check all the pages. He only checked 12,000. How did he choose them?
I wonder what the "plagiarism rate" is in Britannica?